US Yemeni jailed for Qaida link

Yemeni-American Faysal Galab, 27, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for helping al-Qaida, the fifth of six men from New York state to be sentenced in the case.

17 Dec 2003 00:58 GMT

Galab was among six men accused of supporting al-Qaida

Prosecutors said on Tuesday Galab provided "influential information" in an FBI investigation of the six, from the faded steel town of Lackawanna, who received weapons training at a camp in Afghanistan run by the Islamists blamed for the 11 September 2001 attacks.

In a brief statement in US District Court in Buffalo, Galab apologised for going to the al-Farooq camp in the spring of 2001. The men were not charged with involvement in the 11 September

attacks or other violence.

"I am sorry for what I did. I know it was wrong. I apologise to my country, the court, my family, my friends and to the community for what I did," said Galab, who was dressed in a dark suit and tie.

Contributing money

US District Court Judge William Skretny sentenced Galab, who is married with three children, under terms of a plea deal in January. He also ordered Galab to be supervised for three years after his release.

Unlike the other five men, Galab did not plead guilty to providing "material support to a foreign terrorist organisation" but to contributing money and services.

All six have made plea deals. Four were sentenced in the past two weeks to prison terms of eight or 10 years. The sixth, Sahim Alwan, was to be sentenced on Wednesday.